School leaders’ prudence

This letter is in response to the posted letter by the superintendents of schools in the Spokane Valley districts ( “Our concerns with K-12 basic education funding,” Aug. 26, 2018). I am grateful for the rarely expressed and prudent perspective of financial discipline with respect to teacher compensation negotiations.

This country has numerous states in financial crisis due to unsustainable commitments made to public employees. These states include, among others, Illinois, Oregon, Connecticut and California. The Los Angeles school district faces insolvency within the next 3 years.

The superintendents make clear the risk of the transition year and the increased health and pension costs committed to by the state that will result from current negotiations.

It is in our students’ and all of our best interests that the administration and teachers union plan for a sustainable budget. It should include increased teacher compensation, pension planning, decreased class sizes, new programs, safety in the classroom, and health care coverage for teachers.

This is the time to plan for the future. Without considering the published perspective, the inevitable financial emergency will negatively and dramatically affect everyone. It is my expectation that those in power including the governor, senate majority leader and speaker of the House of Representatives heed the superintendents’ forewarning.

George Marshall

Pomeroy